Chapter 7

• AMELIA’S P.O.V
• As I drove, all I could think about or even feel was the pain from the betrayal my family had just dealt to me. I tried to push the thoughts out of my head but it swarmed my every thought and pore. It still felt unbelievable to think that Brittany and Blake could have done that to me.
• “Darm you Blake,” I muttered, “You’re a real asshole.” I realized how crazy I must look to be talking to myself in the car so I instantly went silent.
• I pushed the thoughts out of my mind and shelved it under not important. The most unsafe place for me right now is that pack because I will be the object of ridicule and hate. I did the right thing by leaving.
• I drove in silence when suddenly I started to hear the chirping of birds above my car. I hoped I would out drive them but it was like they kept on following me. The chirping got louder and I heard one land on the roof. Another one landed on my side mirror but flew away and landed on the roof with its companion.
• I didn’t mind them but I hoped they wouldn’t pee or poop on the car because it would be a nightmare to get out and father would be so mad at me. A bird once pooped on him and I couldn’t wash it out of his shirt so he had to burn it. I can only imagine how bad it would be on a car.
• The forest seemed to get quieter the more I drove and the only sound was the birds. I was grateful because the eerie silence was starting to scare me. I wondered if I should break off a piece of bread for them when I heard the snapping of twigs behind me.
• I glanced into my mirrors but I couldn’t see anything. I reached into the glove compartment and saw a loaf of bread. I broke it into half and shoved a large piece into my mouth then wound down my window and held out a little piece in my hand.
• When nothing happened, I was about to pull my hand away but then a bird landed in my palm and took the piece.
• “You’re so pretty,” I breathed as I took in the medium sized black bird. “I wonder what type of bird you are.”
• My loneliness must have been worse than I anticipated because that can be the only reason why I am communicating with a bird like it understands me.
• I broke off another piece and handed it to the bird. Its large beady eyes assessed me and it pecked my hand softly then flew back to the roof. I smiled to myself because I have never touched a bird before and I wanted to do it again.
• I knew I should be driving but I figured that I deserved a little break. I was already out of my pack and I know the worst I will encounter might be a bear or a wild animal but most of them generally avoid us because they can sense that we are prey.
• I was feeding the birds and eating when I heard another twig snap. The bird that was in my hand flew to the roof immediately and this time I wound up my window and continued driving.
• I looked through my mirrors and even glanced at the back hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever animal it was but I still didn’t see anything. I was about to chalk it off as my imagination when I saw a large figure collide with my windshield. At first I thought it was a bear but when I saw the snarling teeth, I realized it was a werewolf.
• It growled at me and it took all my willpower not to scream. I know I should have moved or tried to shake the wolf off by speeding up with the car but I was frozen in shock. The wolf had saliva dripping from the sides of its mouth and the eyes were black leading me to realize that it wasn’t a rogue.
• Rogues have red eyes and are usually more feral but this wolf looked at me with intelligence- almost like it had looked for me. It smashed its paw into the windshield and I knew it wanted to kill me.
• My survival instincts kicked in and I gripped the steering wheel hard and hit the accelerator. I veered a sharp right not caring where I was going and the sudden change in speed and direction threw the wolf off the bumper of my car.
• It snarled in pain and I wasted no time before I hit the gas and started moving forward. Blake’s warning shot in my head and I knew that this was probably what he was warning me about. I knew the only person who would want me dead was my sister. She never liked me but I would have never guessed that Brittany would stoop low enough to send wolves after me to kill me.
• Her second betrayal cut through me harder than the first but I knew I couldn’t spend much time thinking about it because I could hear the tell tale sign of running behind me. I looked through my mirror and saw not one but three wolves chasing after my car.
• In that moment, I didn’t care about safety, I just hit the gas and the car was moving faster than I had ever driven in my life. It was hard to control it at this speed and I kept bumping into trees and flying over rocks but I didn’t care. I was determined not to die and I was willing to do anything to do so.
• I got to a fork in the forest and I knew the left part led to the pack that father was sending me to. I wondered if they had told the people in that pack to kill me on sight too. I knew it would be a major risk to go there so I turned right towards the Dark Fangs pack.
• I haven’t heard much about it because the people mainly live in secrecy and solitude but I know that their Alpha is rumored to be an atrocious monster. Rumors say that he slaughtered his entire family so that he could take the position.
• I didn’t know what waited for me there but I would take my chances at the hand of that monster than at the hands of my family. They have already tried to kill me once and who is to say that they won’t try it again.I also chose it because I knew that anyone with half a mind wouldn’t dare to go into it.
• I was still a little far from the pack but I saw the wolves look at each other in confusion as I took this path. That solidified my thoughts that Brittany and my father sent them because they were expecting me to go the other way.
• Their confusion was brief because they soon started chasing me again. As I drove through the unfamiliar roads I realized that I didn’t actually know the way to the Dark Fangs pack. Almost no one did because of how secretive they were. I knew my gas wouldn’t last forever and I hoped by some miracle I would find the pack before that happened.
• While I was worrying, I saw a bird flying in front of my car and it looked back almost as if it was watching me then it took a sharp right. I don’t know whether it was desperation or just pure stupidity but I found myself following that bird.
• As I followed it I couldn’t help but think about how my life had taken such a drastic turn. A few hours ago, I was getting ready for my birthday and now I am following a bird through the trees. I found myself laughing despite the dire situation because of how pathetic it sounded. All of this is simply because my own sister decided to steal my boyfriend.
• I looked back through the window and saw that the birds were holding the wolf up and he wasn’t able to follow me again. The other two however were still hot on my trail but I was thankful that the first one was incapacitated.
• “Thank the goddess,” I whispered under my breath.
• I saw a marking of the Dark Fangs insignia on a tree and I knew that I was getting close to the border. The wolves knew it too because they cast each other a worried glance but they didn’t stop pursuing me.
• As I drove through the woods I couldn’t help but pray that I wouldn’t encounter any of the border patrol guards. I have heard stories about what they do to strangers crossing their boundaries without prior warning or consent.
• I was a stranger and the speed at which I am driving into their territory is enough to give anyone pause. I prayed to the mood goddess as I saw the barrier of their territory. It wasn’t anything extravagant; it was just a large flag with the insignia of their pack.
• It was probably there as a warning and in their right minds would turn back but I was willing to take the risk and I put my feet on the pedal even harder. All it took was one second and then I was on the other side of the border.
• I drove into the woods of the pack because I didn’t want to risk the guards finding me. I was lucky enough to avoid them and I didn’t want to give them a reason to find me. I knew they would punish me for sneaking into their pack and judging by the stories that I had heard, I didn’t want to risk it.
• My guide bird was still flying and I decided to follow it. It led me to the pack so I hoped it would also lead me somewhere safe I could hide. It went further into the woods and finally stopped on a lone branch and chirped loudly.
• I looked around at where I was. All I could see were trees as high as mountains and a lake that had a small waterfall beside it. The place was serene and quiet and for some reason I started to feel safe.
• I found an empty bottle and decided to go searching for some water so I wouldn’t pass out. My plan was to get water from the lake, refresh myself and probably change my clothes then figure out whether or not I would stay in this pack or leave.
• As I got the bottle, all the birds suddenly took off from my car. I wondered if I had scared them and tried to coax them back with food when I felt the hair at the back of my neck stand on edge and I felt a presence behind me.
• I turned around and that was when I saw it- the real reason the birds ran. I suddenly understood why not amount of food was enough to convince them to come back. No amount of food would have convinced me to stay either as I took in the scene in front of me.
• Rising from the lake like a fallen angel was who I presumed was the Alpha of the pack judging by the sheer power that he exuded. In my entire life I have never felt raw power this strong. It was overwhelming and my wolf and every pore in my body wanted nothing more than to bow and submit to him.
• He had long dark hair that fell to his shoulders and his entire torso and the entire of his left hand was covered in dark ink. I couldn’t make out his tattoos from here but most of them were writings and I saw a few drawings on his body. It was an intricate work of art and it made him look more unreal and ethereal.
• His entire body looked like it was carved from stone and when he looked up. I felt my breath hitch in my throat. On his face were two deep scars and I wondered what could have possibly caused a wolf as powerful as him to scar like that.
• He kept rising from the lake and I tried to keep my eyes away from his lower body because he was naked. My eyes fell on his and fear gripped me as I noticed the way he analyzed me like a wolf stalking his prey. That knowledge was enough to unlock my legs and break the freezing spell that he had cast on me.
• “Oh, moon goddess...”
• I knew that if he got out, I was going to be his lunch. I didn’t even realize when the bottle fell from my hands and while I knew the car would be quicker, I also knew that it would be easier to track so I turned on my heels and I ran as fast as I could into the trees.